Cart



May 30,1944. R MOSER 2,350,062

CART

Filed Oct. 1l, 1943 vP eferNoser `modification in one part Patented May 30, 1944 UNITED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE CART Peter Mosier, Grand Rapids,vMich. Application ctober 11, 1943, Serial No. 505,715`

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a cart of simple, practical, durable and economical construction which may either' be pushed from behind or pulled from iny front, being quickly converted from one to the other'.` It is an object and purpose of the present invention to provide a front'wheel support for the cart with a novel and especially strong and durable steering control arrangement therefor and without any openings in the bottom of the cart which are not closed when the cart is fully assembled. At the rear of the cart a pushing handle means is provided which is releasably locked and held in operative position by merely turning the handles to their upper operative position andwquickly unlocked, whereupon the handles may body of the cart.

be turned downwardly within the` Various other objects and purposes than those;` enumerated for the production of a sturdy durable andV yet economically constructed cart will appearas an understanding of the invention s' had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan View ofthe cart made in ac-y cordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section there` through.

Fig. 3 is a fragmenta frontend of the cart.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section of the front end of the cart showing the pulling tongue in the position which it occupies when the cart is to be pushed from behind, and

Fig. 5`is a detail in section showing a slight of the structure from that lshown in Fig. 2. Like reference characters referto like the different figures of the drawing.

The body of the cart comprises a bottom I of metal, vertical ends 2 and vertical sides 3 which may .-be made of separate parts permanently con-V parts in yunder plan View ofthe nected together as shown or all stampedfrom a. single piece of metal. At the upper edges'of the body a frame 4 of angle bar cross section is shownv having an outwardly extending horizon`- talflange 5. This frame in place and likewise may be replaced 4by a reinforcement for the upper edge portions of the body consisting of an outturned ange, like the Iiange 5, `made integral with and at the upper edges ofl the ends and sides of the body.

.At `the rear of the cart a pushing handle is made of rod or `tubular material having spaced apart sides 6 connected by an integral cross men is permanently secured l of the cart. Such hooks may be lifted to disengage from said ilange andthe handleturned to lie within the body `of the cart as in dotted lines in Fig. 2. f i

The body of the cart is supported at its rear end by the usual wheels I0 on an axle mounted on a suitable rear support I I of any conventional or suitable construction. v

The front wheels I2 are each mounted on a laterally and outwardly extending axle pin I3 one at the lower end of each of two arms i 4 which extend downwardly from a vertical pin or post I5 the lower portions -of the arms I4 being curved to the rear as shown. At the juncture of an arm I4 and a post'IE anintegral collar I6 of greater diameter than the post I 5 is formed. The `posts I5 extend through openings to pass them in the `bottom I of the cart lbody and at their upper ends pass through suitable openings in the horizontal leg of an anglebar I1 permanently secured to` and at `the rear side of the front endl 2 of thetbody a distance above the bottom. At the lower side of the'bottom a Iat bar I8 of metal extending" the width Vof the body is provided and permanently secured to strengthen and reinforce the cartbodyat its front end the posts I5v passing therethrough. In Fig. 5 an equivalent constructionis shown wherein the at bar I8 and the angle bar YI'I are replaced by a channel having a vertical web I9 and upper and lower iianges I'Ia'and' I a'secured at 'the `rear side of the front end 2 of therbody, the flange I8a extending underneath thev bottom I and the post I5 passing'throughthe flanges IIa and I8a.

A horizontal arm 20 extends `rearwardly from Iddirectly below the `collar I6.

its ends has pivotal connection tothe arms, said bar `being located tom'I of the body.

A `vertical steering postA 22 passes through alinedopenings vin the bars I1 and I8 substantially midway between the posts I5 and at its lower end has a rearwardly extending horizontal arm 23 ywhich may be integral with the post22 or such arm may be aV separate part and permanently secured to said post to be integral in effeet. The arm 23 extends at its rear end to the bar 2| and has a pivotal connection therewith. The upper end of the post 22 has a permanent connection, integral or otherwise, with an enlarged Vertical extension 24 to the post which reaches above the upper edge of the front end of the body. A horizontal arm 25 extends forwardly from the enlarged upper portion 24 of the steering post and is provided at its front end with an upwardly extending boss 26. A tongue 2T at its front end is provided with affork which'is pivotally connected to the boss 26 so that it Amay be turned to the rear to lie upon the arm 25 lies when in its rear position as in Figs. 1 and 4. The tongue may be turned to a forward position in which it may be utilized for pulling Athe, cart.

When the tongue is in the rear position' as in i Figs. 1 and 4, the cart may be pushed' from behind and when the pushing handle is turnedto its lower dotted line position in Fig. 2 theA tongue may be'swung forward andthe cart drawn thereby. It is also apparent that with the tongue in the position shown in Fig. 1 and with the, rear handles in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 the cart may -be utilized, as frequently doneby children in operating said cart 'with one'knee'in the cart and the foot of the opposite legengaging the ground.

The bar 2l connecting the steering Aarms or knuckles 210 has an opening therethrough as at 29 (Fig. 3), and the bottom l a similar opening which will aline therewith when the wheels I2 are at central position. Through the openings a locking pin 3l) may be inserted to lock the front wheels against movement as may be desirable when the cart is pushed from behind.

The construction of cart described is strong and durable being particularly reinforced at its front and Where'the heaviest strainsoccur. The cart will not readily tip, over and is almost instantly converted from a cart which may be' pushed to one' which may be pulled vand vicev 'changing the d1rect1on of movement of the versa.

The invention is dened in `the appended claims and is to be considered',comprehensive ofY all formsof structure coming within their scopeL:

I claim:

1.' In a construction of the class, described'a body of sheet metal having a bottom and a iront end extending upwardly at right angles thereto,

reinforcing means located at the front of said' body having a portion rigidly attached to the' f ront end of the body interiorly thereofA with a horizontal portion extending to the rear,v said reinforcing means also comprising an additional horizontally located means underneath ther body, said horizontal portion and means having alined openings therein, posts rotatably mounted, in said openings and extending downwardly under,-

neath said body, wheels mounted at thelower ends of the posts, and means for simultaneously oscillating the posts, said lastmentioned means being underneath the bottom of the body.

2. A construction of ther class described, comprising a body of sheet metal having a` horizontal bottom and a front end extending 'upwardlyv therefrom, a horizontal reinforcingy member having an inwardly extendingY horizontal ange secured within andto the front end ofthe body,V a'second horizontal reinforcing member` located underneath thebody below said llange, said flange and second reinforcing member having, spaced alined openings therein, posts..rotatably` and hook means for detachably `connecting. the

anv

" "tatably mounted in the third openings 0f the nected thereto, movable front wheels connected mounted in said openings and extending underneath the body, wheels mounted at the lower end of the posts, an arm extending from each post underneath the body, a tie member pivotally connected at its ends to the ends of said arms and located underneath and adjacent the bottom of the body, and means mounted on said body adjacent its front end and operable from above the body connected with said tie member for moving said tie member longitudinally to oscillateV the posts and change the direction of movement of said wheels.

3. A construction containing the elements in which at each side is provided with an upwardly combination defined in claim 2, the bottom of extending ear 28, between which the tongue 2l said body and said tie member having openings therein which are brought into alinement when the wheels are located in substantially central position, and a removable pin for passing through said openings to releasably lock said tie member against movement with respect to the body.

4Q In a structure of the class described, a body having a horizontal bottom member and vertically extending sides and front, said bottom having' three openings located near the front end of the body, substantially vertical posts bassiner through and rotatable in the two end openings, reinforcing means secured to the front of the body at its inner side, additional reinforcing means extending along the under side of the body, all said reinforcing means having openings in conjunction with the openings in the bottom of thebody, said posts extending downwardly below the body, a lateral axle at the lower end of each post, a wheel mounted on each of `said axles, a horizontal arm extending in a generally rearward direction from each of said posts a. short distance below the bottom of the body, a tie member connecting said arms for simultaneousrotation of the posts, a Vertical memberrobody, Vsaid member at its 'lower end having a rearward extension pivotally connected with said tie member and a tongue member at the top ,of the vertical member for turning` the same for wheels.r

5. VIn a structure of the class described, a' cart body having a bottom and sides and ends, rear wheels located underneath the body andconto the body', means for guiding the front wheels, handle means pivotally connected within andr adjacent the rear ofthe body, said handle means being of less Ylength than the length of the body,

handle means with the upper portion.V of, the rear end of the body and holding said handle means in a substantially upright position.

6. In a structure of. the class described, acart bodyrhaving sides and ends, rear wheels con;- nected with said body for supporting the same bodyl within thesame and a short distancefrom` the rear end thereof, and hook means pivotally'-,

connected tosaid handle means in a position.A to

handle means may bev turned forwardly Yto .-,lie

within thebody, said handle means being of less` length,- than. ,the 1 interior length of the-body.,4

at its rear and movable front wheels connected to said body underneath itsfront end, meanslvfor guiding the frontwheels, handle means pivotally.y connected at its lower end to the bottom of said,

7. In combination, a cart, wagon or the like having a rectangular shaped body portion of sheet metal, front, a bar of substantially angle iron form having a vertical and a horizontalleg located interiorly at the end of said body and secured thereto with the horizontal legr extending' to the rear, a ilat bar of metal located under and transverse of the body and secured thereto in parallelism to the horizontal leg of said rst bar, said horizontal leg, said bottom bar and the bottom of the including a vertically extending i zontal portions and the bottom of the body having alined openings adjacent each side of the body, two vertical posts extending through said openings at their upper portions and rotatable therein, said posts extending downwardly below the bottom of the body, wheels mounted to turn on horizontal axes at the lower ends of the posts, a horizontal arm extending rearwardly from each posta short distance below the bottom of thebody, a tie member connecting the rear ends of said arms, and means for moving said tie member longitudinally to simultaneously turn said posts and change the direction of movement of said wheels.

9. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 8, said horizontal portions of the reinforcing member and the bot- .tom of the body having additional alined open- 8. In combination, a wagon, cart or the like having a rectangular shaped body of sheet metal including a vertical front end, transverse reinforcing means located against the front end of said body and connected thereto including two vertically spaced horizontal portions one immediately underneath the bottom of the body and the other a distance thereabove, said horiings substantially midway between the first mentioned openings therethrough, said means for moving the tie member including a third post extending through said openings and rotatably mounted therein, a horizontal arm at the lower end of the third post extending rearwardly therefrom and pivotally connected at its rear end to said tie member, and a tongue connected to the upper end of the post, whereby the wagon or cart may be drawn and the third post turned about its vertical axis, as specified.

PETER MOSIER. 

